Display poster



June 29, 1965 R. z. NEFF 3,191,827

Filed July 3, 1962 4 SheetS-Sheet l 'T LD ROBERT c. NEFF E I BY ATToRNEYs June 29, 1965 R. c. NEFF 3,191,327

DISPLAY POSTER Filed July 5, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 PIG-2 'O 7 INVENTOR. 1 ROBERT c. NEFF ATTORNEYS R. C. NEFF DISPLAY POSTER June 29, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July a, 1982 INVENTOR.

ROBERT C. NEFF ATTORNEYS R. C. NEF F DISPLAY POSTER June 29, 1965 4 shets-sneet 4 Filed July 3, 1962 FIG-IO ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,191,327 DISPLAY POSTER Robert C. Nelf, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Netf Foldlng Box Company, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed `l'uly 3, 1962, Ser. No. 207,203 4 Claims. (Cl. 40-1241) The invention relate-s to advertising devices, and particularly to a display poster. i

The present practice in making .advertising display cards or posters contemplates fi-rst printing the adverti-sing literature 'on a thin sheet of high quality paper and then laminating this printed paper 'on one side of a heavy piece of .suitable newsb'oard. In order to prevent warping, another sheet |of this paper of the same'high quality is laminated to the opposite side of the newsboard .to balance the stresses imposed 'on .the first side by the printed sheet. Next an easel of chipboard which has been formed in an ent-irely separate operation is manually glued to the unprinted or reverse side of the poster for use in holding the poster in =an erected position. The cost 'of .the finished poster is relatively high since both sides of the poster are laminated with an expensive paper, and the process involves several different and comparatively slow manual Operations requiring the use of .a relatively large number of experienced and skilled workrnen.

llt is accordingly -an important object of this invention to provide 'a display poster which can be produced automatically at a rate higher than heretofore known, and at a cost substantially below that of presentday processes.

Another object of this invention is |to provide a display poster made from ya Sheet of paperboa-rd coated on one side only, and specifically to provide a poster of the aforesaid type which is sufficiently rigid for rnounting` in an erected position, is resistant to warping, and which minimizes .the scrap pro-duced in its production.

A further object of the invention is to provide a display poster |made from a sheet of coated paperboard or the like and having an integral easel on one side thereof, and particularly to provide a poster 'of this type which can be easily folded in half for shipment without detracting from the strength or appearance when the poster is erected. V

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the 'accornpanying drawings yand the appended clairns.

In Ithe draw'ings- FlG. 1 is a schematic -illustration of apparatus for making the display poster of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is .a plan view of one embodiment of a display poster showing the back side thereof in an unfolded condition; V

`FlG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing the rear side 'of the poster after the gluing and folding operations;

FIGURE 4 is =a sectional view essentially along the line 4-4 ofFIG. 2 showing a 'crease score used along one edge of the poster;

PIG. 5 `is a view quite similar to FIG. 4 taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3 showing this crease in its folded position; i

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the poster in its erected position; i

FIG. 7 is a sectional view essentially al-ongthe line 7-` 7 of FIG. 3 showing the easel in its open position;

FIG. 8 is a -rear elevation Viewof the back side of another embodiment rof the display poster;

FIG. 9 .is 'a front elevation view of the poster shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a view quite similar to PIG. 8, but showing the easel in its folded position;

"ice

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the easel of FIG. 8 in its erected position; and

FIG. 12 is another perspective view showing the front side of the poster in its partially folded position.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, FIG. 1 shows schematically the apparatus used to manufacture the hereinafter described display posters P and FP (FIGS. 6 and 11). Thus the individual rectangular sheets or blanks v10 of bendable paperboard, preferably clay coated on one side only, are moved from the stack 11 to the printing apparatus 12, for example,a high speed rotary sheet fed oifset printing press, which applies print 14 to a central section 16 ofthe coated side of the sheet `10a. It is contemplated that a single or multi-color letter press or a. gravure press may be used in place of the offset press.

The paperboard sheets 10a subsequently are moved to a die mechanism or reciprocating action press 20 which trims, cuts, and scores each of the blanks in the manner shown in FIG. 2. Specifically, the die mechanism 20 includes a number of steel cutters 23 mounted in the lower die member 25 and arranged so that when the blank 10a is forced downwardly thereagainst by the upper die member 2,6, the edges of the blank are trimmed as 'shown in FIG. 2.

The trimmed blank 10b is substantially rectangular with a narrow strip 28 at each end of the left-hand flap 30 and at the top of the right-hand flap 32 being removed so that a small amount of misalignment during the folding of these fiaps onto the display section 33 will not vcause the edges of the fiaps to project above or below the top and bottom horizontal edges of the display section 33.

The die mechanism 20 also forms the creases or scores 35 at the juncture of the fiaps 30 and 32 with the display section 33. As shown in PIG. 4, these creases comprise an -indented portion 36 formed on the coated side 38 of the blank 10b by a male die member (not shown) on the die member 26, and a raised portion 39 on the opposite side of the blank formed by a suitable complementary female die member (not shown) on the die member 25. The creases 35 are such that when a thin layer of glue 40 is applied to the uncoated sides of the fiaps 30 and 32, and these fiaps are folded onto the back of the display section 33, the square uniform edges 42 (see FIG. 5) are produced along each Vertical edge of the finished posters thus enhancing the aesthetic characteristics, as Well as the structural rigidity of the display posters.

The die mechanism 20 also forms an easel 45 in the right-hand flap 32 by cntting the score line 46 to define one side of the easel and by forming the crease or fold line 47 to define the other side edge and provide a hinge connection between the easel 45 and the fiap 32. The score line 46 almost completely severs this edge of the easel 45 from the flap 32 with the exception of a few areas 48, and consequently the easel can be easily separated by hand from the flap during erection of the poster P. While the ,use of the connected areas 48 is preferred since they aid in the manufacture and subsequent handling of the poster P, a cut which completely severs the easel 45 from the flap 32 could be used in lieu of the score line 46 without departing from the scope of the invention.

The lock tab 50, which is also formed in the right-hand flap 32 by the die mechanism 20, includes a horizontal 'fold line 51 on the bottom edge thereof, and the edges 52 on the other three sides thereof are completely severed from the flap 32 so that it may be pivoted about the fold line 51 to a horizontal position. The notch 54 which is cut in the outer periphery of the lock tab, and the rounded projection 55 in the easel 45, cooperate to lock the easel anonse? in its erected position, as willbe described. A tapered section is also cut from the bottom edge 57 of the righthand iiap 32 below the easel 45 so that when the poster P is erected the easel 45 will support it at a slight angle With the Vertical thus givin'g it stability in this erected position.

While a particular form of die mechanism 20 has been illustrated, it shouldbe understood that this is merely a schematic showing and that other known devices can be adapted to perform the above described Operations of trimming, Cutting, and scoring. For example, one of the die members 25 and 26 could be replaced with suitable rollers having the die elements thereon to perform the above described Operations on the blank 101). In each case, a resilient material is'provided on each of the die "members so that the blank 1% will be stripped from the die cutters androther die elements When the die members are separated. o

Referring again to FlG. 1, the blank h is moved from the die mechanism 20 onto a gluing conveyor otlvcomprising the endless Chains V61, or their equivalent, and having the lugs 63 thereon for engaging and moving each blank ,1% at a predetermined rate along the conveyor beneath the glue rollers 64 and 65 which are driven in timed relation with the movement of the conveyor 60 and the blanks 1017. The left-hand roller 64 applies an even coat of glue 40 (shaded areas of FIG. 2) over the enti're surface of the left-hand flap 30, while the right-hand roller 55 has a cutout portion 66'which corresponds in shape to the easel 415 so that glue isV applied to the right-hand flap 32 except in the area of the easel 4-5. It should be under- Stood that other known spot gluers can be substituted for the glue rollers land 65 so long as they carry out the functional requirements set forth above.

From the gluing station the blanks 10a are moved to a folding station wherein each of the fiaps 30 and 32 is folded on the rear side of the display section 33, as shown in FIG. 3. In detail, a blank 10c is transferred from the conveyor 60 to the folding conveyor`70rhavin`g the eng'agement lugs '71 thereon, and is moved into engagement with the metal strips '73 which have a precisely predetermined shape for gradually bending each of the flaps 30 and 32 to a Vertical position and then downwardly into superimposed relation with the rear side of the display section 33 where the glue 40 secures the flaps in this position. It is, however, within the scope of the invention to utilize other known expedients for performing this folding operation, such as, for example, replacing the metal strips '73 with endless belts which pass through a path similar to the configuration of the strips 7 3. v

From the folding station the blanks 101i fall onto the drying' conveyor '75 which is moving at a relatively slow speed as compared 'to the gluing and folding conveyors 60 and 70. This slow rate of movement causes the blanks to overlap somewhat as they move between the upper conveyor 76 which is supportedton the rolls 77 and eXerts a downward force onthe blanks 10a' and the lower con- Veyor '78 supported on the rolls '79, so that the flaps 30 and 32 are pressed against the display section 33 of the posters for a predetermined length of time thus permitting the glue to set and form a uniform connection between the fiaps and the display section 33. VThe time required for vthis pressing operation is dependent upon the type of glue being used and is such that the glue is set by the` time the posters emerge from the other end so that subsequent handling will not detract from the effectiveness of the glue connections. Of course, the glue used is of the relatively slow drying type so that it does not set or dry prior to the folding operation.

The poster P produced by this method, as shown in iFlG. 3, is in a flat position ready for stacking and shipping. When it is desired to erect the poster 10, it is merely necessary to sever the edge 46 of the easel from the flap 32 and pivot the easel 45 about the fold line 47 to a position (FIG. 7) perpendicular to the display section 33. Then the lock flap 50 is rotated to lits horizontal position 4 (FlG. 6) wherein the slot 54 engages the projection 55 thus locking the easel in this position. lt should be apparent that the fiaps 30 and 32 in their glued positions are effectively integrally connected with the display section 33 so that they act as a piecev of paperboard having a thickness twice that of the sheets 10. Thus, when the sheets 10 are made from paperboard having a thickness of .025 inch, a poster is produced with a thickness of .050 inch which presents sufiicient rigidity for an average size poster, eg., 14 inches by 20 inches. The area adjacent each of the Vertical edges 42, as well as the top edge of the poster P, benefits from this double thickness so that the poster has structural rigidity and resistance to warping in these Critical areas, and the area from which the easel 45 is cut is relatively less important so far as the rigidity and Warping of the display poster are concerned.

Another embodiment of the poster is shown in FIGS. 8-11 and is specifically adapted to be folded in half so that it can be placed in a small envelope for mailing. The poster FP is made by the aforesaid method and apparatus with minor adaptations, and thus the die mechanism 20 is suitably modified to form a horizonta'l crease (PIG. 9) through the display section 33g. Also, the score lines 91 are cut partially through the coated side of the fiaps 30a and32a, except through the easel 45a, so that the finished 'poster FP can be folded in the manner shown in FIG. 12, 'wherein the upper section 93 of the display section 33a is folded into superimposed relation with the lower section 95. The lines 91. are cut-scored or paially cut through to facilitate bending of the poster in half.

The easel 45a of this embodiment is formed by the die mechanism 20, and is divided into a top 96 and a -bottom 9:3 by the fold or crease line 100` which coincides with the fold line 30 of the display section 33a. The easel is connected to the right-hand flap 32a by the fold line 101 which extends through both the sections 93 and 95, and the other edge is defined by the cut-score 103 which substantially severs this edge from thefiap 32 except in the areas 105 of the section 5 which aid the handling of the poster, as described above. The top 96 of the easel, which includes the support flap 107, does not have glue applied thereto during the gluing operation so that this portion may be folded into overlapping relation with the lbottom 98 (see FIG. 10) when the poster is folded in half,,and consequently the connection between the two halves of the easel 45a will not be torn or weakened, as occurs when the top 96 is folded in the opposite direction.

The lower lock flap Sita is formed and operates in a manner substantially identical to `the lock flap 50 of the PIG. 6 embodiment. The upper lock member is cut from the right-hand flap 32a immediately above the easel 45a and has two horizontal and parallel crease lines 111 and 112 therein, while the edge 114 which extends around the right-hand Vertical and top edges thereof is completely severed from the flap 32a so that the member will fold outwardly therefrom. The member 110 has a slot 116 therein for engagement with the projection 117 on the top 95 of the easel 45a, and when in the engaged position the rounded shoulder 118 locks these two members together. i

lt should now'l 'be apparent that the only material differences in the apparatus and method for producing this embodiment are slight modifications in the die mechanism 20 and the gluing operation, and the poster 10a emerges from the apparatus in the form shown in FIG. 8. It is, however, within the scope of this invention to modify the apparatus to fold this poster FP in half and position the top 96 of the easel 45a in the position, shown in FIG 10, so that the poster FP is ready for shipment and need not be folded by hand. i

To erect the poster FP it is merely necessary to unfol-d the upper and lower Sections 93 and 95 of this poster and fold the top 96 of the easel 45a to the position shown in FIG. 8, Next the easel 45a is moved to a position normal to the poster (see FIG. V7) and the lower lock flap 50a pivoted about its fold line to engage the projection 55a and lock the easel in this position. The upper lock member 110 is then pivoted about its fold lines 111 and 112 so that the slot 116 engages the projection 117. The rounded shoulder 118 resists movement of the lock member 110 from locking engagement with the projection 117. The rectangular support flap 107 is held securely against the rear of the display section 33a since it is integral with the easel 45a along the fold line 101, and with the flap 32a along the fold line 100. When the easel is erected, it securely locks the display section in its upright position and resists forces which tend to fold the poster.

The erected poster FP provides structural rigidity and resistance to warping in substantially the same manner as the FIG. 6 embodiment while permitting the poster to be folded in half for shipping without -weakening any of the components due to this folding.

It should -be apparent that the flaps could be modified so that only one large flap having an area substantially equal to the area of the display section could be used with an integral fold line along one edge of the display section. The easel 45 could be formed therein in the same manner as described above, and in all other instances the poster would lbe substantially identical to the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 10.

The method has been described as a continuous process, and it should be appreciated that several of the various steps may be reversed, as well as performed on separate 'apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the Cutting and creasing may be performed prior to the printing, or the trimming operation may be performed in apparatus separate from that which forms the various crease or fold lines.

While the method herein described, the form of apparatus for carrying this method into effect, and the products -or articles produced by the aforesaid method and apparatus, constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood than the invention is not limited to this precise method, form of apparatus, and products, and that changes may be m-ade in each without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims. V

What is claimed is:

1. A lightweight display poster of the character described comprising, a rectangular sheet of relatively thin fiexible paperboard having an uncoated side substantially incapable of legibly receiving print and an ink receiving coating on the other side thereof, said sheet being sufliciently thin and 'flexible to be printed in a high speed printing press, a pair of fold lines in said sheet parallel to the ends of said sheet and defining a central display panel therebetween with integral reinforcing flaps connected along said fold lines to opposite edges of said display panel, said reinforcing flaps having a total area substantially equal to the area of said display panel, a single easel formed in one of said reinforcing vflaps and having an integral connection therewith for pivotal movement between a retracted position wherein it lies in the plane of said reinforcing flaps thereby minimizing the thickness of the poster in its unfolded condition and an extended position wherein it extends perpendicularly outwardly from said plane .of said reinforcing flaps and supports said display panel in an upright position, and adhesive means interconnecting the entire area of contact 'between said uncoated side of said reinforcing flaps and the uncoated side of said display panel except for said easel so that said display panel and said reinforcing flaps cooperate to form 'an inexpensive lightweight paperboard poster having said coating only on the outer surfaces thereof to present a smooth outer appearance capable of receiving print, said poster being substantially free of warpage due to the balancing effect of said coatings on the outer surfaces and being capable of supporting itself in an upright position.

2. A lightweight display poster of the Character described comprising, a relatively thin paperboard display panel having an uncoated side substantially incapable |of legibly receiving print and an ink receiving coating on the other side thereof, said display panel being sufficiently thin and flexible so that said coating may be printed in a high speed printing press, a first transvers'e fold line in said display panel dividing the same ntotop and bottom Sections, reinforcing panel means formed integrally with said display panel and having substantially the same surface area as said display panel, a slit in said reinforcing panel means aligned with said first transverse fold line for facilitating folding of said display panel so that said other sides of said top and lbottom Sections can be folded into face to face contact When said reinforcing panel means are secured to said uncoated sides of said display panel, a support easel formed from a portion of said reinforcing panel means for pivotal movement between a folded position and an extended position wherein it supports said display panel and said reinforcing panel means in an upright position, adhesive means interconnecting the entire area of contact between said uncoated side of said display panel and said reinforcing panel means except for said support easel, said support easel having a second fold line therein dividing said easel into a top portion opposite Said top section and a bottom portion opposite said bottom section, said bottom portion of said easel being pivotally secured to said reinforcing panel means adjacent said bottom section, and detachable means for securing said top portion in supporting relation on said top section so that said top portion can be released from said top section of said display panel to fold into face to face contact With said bottom section and said top portion of said easel will fold in an opposite direction toward said bottom portion thereof thus enabling the poster to be folded without any substantial distortion thereof.

3. A lightweight display poster as defined in claim 2 wherein said reinforcing panel means includes a rectangular side panel secured integrally to the opposite side edges of said display panel with said support easel being disposed in one of said side panels.

4. A lightweight display poster as defined in claim 3 wherein said first transverse fold line divides said display panel into substantially equal top and bottom Sections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 547,377 10/95 Gillbee 40-1521 l,l46,103 7/15 Roy 248-459 l,515,901 1 1/ 24 Helmquest 40-124.1 1,710,814 4/29 Dyment 248-459 1,839,814 1/32 Taylor 40-l52.l 2,029,15 8 1/ 36 Clarke 40-124.1 2,380,076 7/45 Scheyer 40-152.1 2,803,076 8/57 Viglieta 40-124.l 2,834,l35 5/518 Clarke 40-l52.1 3,058,40l 10/62 Cross 93-1 3,067,652 12/62 Cross 93-1 JEROME SCHNALL, Primary Examiner.

E. V. BENHAM, Examiner. 

1. A LIGHTWEIGHT DISPLAY POSTER OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING, A RECTANGULAR SHEET OF RELATIVELY THIN FLEXIBLE PAPERBOARD HAVING AN UNCOATED SIDE SUBSTANTIALLY INCAPABLE OF LEGIBLY RECEIVING PRINT AND AN INK RECEIVING COATING ON THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF, SAID SHEET BEING SUFFICIENTLY THIN AND FLEXIBLE TO BE PRINTED IN A HIGH SPEED PRINTING PRESS, A PAIR OF FOLD LINES IN SAID SHEET PARALLEL TO THE ENDS OF SAID SHEET AND DEFINING A CENTRAL DISPLAY PANEL THEREBETWEEN WITH INTEGRAL REINFORCING FLAPS CONNECTED ALONG SAID FOLD LINES TO OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID DISPLAY PANEL, SAID REINFORCING FLAPS HAVING A TOTAL AREA SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE AREA OF SAID DISPLAY PANEL, A SINGLE EASEL FORMED IN ONE OF SAID REINFORCING FLAPS AND HAVING AN INTEGRAL CONNECTION THEREWITH FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN A RETRACRED POSITION WHEREIN IT LIES IN THE PLANE OF SAID REINFORCING FLAPS THEREBY MINIMIZING THE THICKNESS OF THE POSTER IT ITS UNFOLDED CONDITION AND AN EXTENDED POSITION WHEREIN IT EXTENDS PERPENDICULARLY OUTWARDLY FROM SAID PLANE OF SAID REINFORCING FLAPS AND SUPPORTS SAID DISPLAY PANEL IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION, AND ADHESIVE MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE ENTIRE AREA OF CONTACT BETWEEN SAID UNCOATED SIDE OF SAID REINFORCING FLAPS AND THE UNCOATED SIDE OF SAID DISPLAY PANEL EXCEPT FOR SAID EASEL SO THAT SAID DISPLAY PANEL AND SAID REINFORCING FLAPS COOPERATED TO FORM AN INEXPENSIVE LIGHTWEIGHT PAPERBOARD POSTER HAVING SAID COATING ONLY ON THE OUTER SURFACES THEREOF TO PRESENT A SMOOTH OUTER APPEARANCE CAPABLE OF RECEIVING PRINT, SAID POSTER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF WARPAGE DUE TO THE BALANCING EFFECT OF SAID COATINGS ON THE OUTER SURFACES AND BEING CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING ITSELF IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION. 